Apparatus for bending steel mesh and the like



H. KLOUTEN 3,208,263

APPARATUS FOR BENDING STEEL MESH AND THE LIKE Sept. 28, 1965 Filed Nov. 6, 1962 Mil [N709 HEW/ m A2 MrE/v WM '7 a,

Arrows 5y Patented Sept. 2&5, 1965 3,208,263 AEFARATUS 'iiElillfllNG STEEL Mllfilh't AND 'lirlE LEKE Heinrich Klouten, Hoeningen, hireis, Grevenbrcieh, Get

many, assignor to BawStahlgen/ehe G.m.b.l l., Dusseldorf-Oberlrassel, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Nov. 6, 19M, Ser. No. 235,639 Claims priority, applications Germany, Nov. 6, Mail,

It? 64,67 3 Ciaims, (*Cl. 72-4553) The present invent-ion relates to apparatus for the bend ing of steel mesh or the like into three-dimensional structures especially, though not limitatively, for use in connection with reinforced concrete construction work involving the building of relatively large constructional units, such as columns, foundations etc.

The invention is more particularly concerned with mesh bending devices of the special type as shown and described in the copending patent application Serial No. 103,920, filed April 18, 1961, by Heinz Webers ct al., entitled Device for Bending Steel Mesh for Reinforced Concrete and the Like, now Patent No. 3,120,257 and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

Said prior application discloses a device for the bending of steel mesh or the like, consisting of sets of intersecting spaced and parallel rods comprising essentially a stationary supporting beam or plate for positioning thereon a mesh to be bent, a bending beam or plate being normally flush with said supporting beam and arranged with an edge thereof adjoining an edge of said supporting beam, a plurality of aligned preferably cylindrical-shaped bending dies spaced at distances equal to the distance between the rods of the mesh to be bent and projecting from the edge of one of said beams substantially symmetrically to the adjoining edges of the beams. The dies arranged with their aligning lElXiS being parallel to the meeting edges of said beams are provided with lateral bayonet-like recesses adapted to receive and position the rods of the mesh to be bent. There are further provided means mounted upon said supporting beam, including an operating lever or the like, to rotatively support the bending beam about an axis coincident with the aligning axis of the dies, in such a manner as to clamp the rods to be bent against and to bend the same around said dies by rotation of said bending beam or plate.

In the practical realization of a device of this type, the angular or L-shaped bending dies may be mounted upon either the bending beam, as shown by the afore-mentioned copending application, or alternatively upon the supporting beam, there being further advantageously provided a special supporting plate or the like being integral with or supporting the dies and being, in turn, mounted upon one of said beams or plates.

In use, the steel or the like mesh is placed from above upon the supporting beam with the rods of the mesh to be bent passing on both sides of the angular bending dies or claws, whereupon the mesh is displaced laterally to insert the rods in the recesses of said dies bayonet-fashion, in such a manner as to cause the rods to engage the vertical legs of the dies. The bending beam is then rotated to a desired angle about its axis being coincident with the axis of the horizontal bending or counterholding die elements, whereby to bend the rods within said recesses and closely around the dies, substantially without displacement or slippage of the mesh during a bending operation, in the manner described in greater detail in the above copcnding application.

In the practical use of mesh bending apparatus of the foregoing type it has been found that the mesh stock available commercially varies and cannot be fabricated economically with precisely equal spacing distances between the adjacent rods of the mesh. During the welding or otherwise connecting of the transverse rods with the longitudinal rods of the mesh, slight variations are bound to occur, resulting in a certain tolerance range of the rod spacing distance. As a matter of fact, it may happen fre quently that the deviations add cumulatively from rod to rod, in such a manner as to assume a final total value especially in the case of relatively large mesh structures, whereby the individual rods can no longer be positioned properly to engage the recesses or vertical legs of the bending dies in a manner to ensure eificient and reliable bending. In extreme cases it may even become impossible to insert the mesh in the machine, whereby to greatly limit the practical usefulness of bending devices of this type.

In the case of mesh structures of relatively small size or comprising a small number of rods only, wherein the sum of the deviations may remain relatively small or negligible, the aforementioned drawbacks and defects are of a less serious nature, whereby mesh structures of relatively small size may be still bent by the machine without any too great difficulties in practice.

The disadvantages and drawbacks resulting from the distance variations of commercial mesh stock are, however, considerably increased in the case of relatively large mesh structures or units embodying mesh of relatively large cross-section and small spacing distance of the adjacent rods to be bent. In such a case the sum of the variations as a result of the large number of rods may assume a total value such as to render it dimcult to insert and/or bend mesh structures of large dimension. More particularly, it may frequently happen that, with the rod at one end of the mesh engaging the vertical leg of the adjacent bending die, the rod of the opposite end of the mesh may be displaced so that it can no longer be inserted in the recess of the adjacent die, thereby either preventing proper guidance or positioning of the mesh or to make it entirely impossible to insert the same in the bending device.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is the provision of means in conjunction with mesh bending apparatus of the type referred to by which the foregoing and related difficulties are substantially eliminated and which will allow the bending of mesh structures of practically unlimited size or dimension and consisting of steel and the like mesh stock commercially available.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved mesh bending apparatus of the type referred to, including simple and eflicient means for compensating slight variations in the spacing distance between the adjacent rods of the mesh to be bent.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and anciliary objects and novel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction wit-h the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of an improved mesh bending device constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of FIG. 1.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally the provision of means for adjusting the lateral or spacing distance between the bending dies by the mounting or groups of the dies each upon one of an array of juxtoposed supporting members being adjustably mounted in the direction of the aligning axis of the dies upon the supporting beam or plate of the device. Said supporting members advantageously take the form of an array of spaced mounting plates with the bending dies projecting from the edges of the plates and the plates being secured by means of releasable connecting means, such as in the form of set screws or the like, to the supporting beam, in such a manner as to enable ready and expedis oe-nee tious adjustment of the spacing distance between any two adjacent plates, in an effort to compensate for the tolerance variations of the rod spacing distances of a large size mesh to be bent, in the manner as will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the drawing.

In the latter, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts in the two views thereof, the numeral 1 represents a pair of supports having mounted thereon a supporting beam 2 shown with a hollow and square crosssection and a bending beam 3 shown with an L-shaped cross-section and comprising a vertical and horizontal part, the latter being flush with and adjoining the upper surface of the beam 2. Adjustably mounted upon the vertical part of the supporting beam 2 are a plurality or array of spaced juxtaposed supporting plates 4, 4a, db being aligned along a horizontal axis parallei to the adjoining edges of the beamsZ and 3 and arranged to be relatively adjustable, to vary the spacing distance therebetween, in an effort to compensate for the deviations in the spacing distance between the adjacent rods 3 of a mesh to be bent having intersecting rods 8, FIG. 2.

More specifically, the dies 5 of the groups or plates 4, 4a, 4b are spaced from each other by a predetermined distanceconforming with the normal spacing distance between the rods of the mesh to be bent, while the extreme dies of each group are spaced by a lesser distance from theedges of said plates, in such a manner as to result in a composite array of the dies of all the plates of substantially equal spacing conforming with said predetermined distance, in the manner shown by the drawing. If the spacing distance between any of the adjacent rods 8 of the mesh to be bent varies to an extent as to impede or prevent insertion of the mesh in the bending machine, the difficulty can be corrected instantly by a slight re-acljustment of the position or spacing distance of the proper plates 4, 4a, 4b respectively.

The counterholding elements or bending dies 5 projecting from the plates 4, 4a, db each comprise a leg portion 6 being transverse to the edges of the plates and terminating in a preferably cylindrical die portion '7 extending laterally from the leg 6 and being aligned along a common axis x--x parallel to the adjoining edges of the beams 2 and 3. The bending beam 3 may be fitted with suitable means, such as a handle 9" as shown by the above copending application, for rotating the same about an axis coinciding with the axis x.x of the dies 7. For further details of the construction and operation of the bending device reference is made to the copending application referred to hereinabove.

There is thus provided by the present invention improved supporting means for the plural bending die elements being subdivided into a plurality of groups or longitudinal sections each being comprised, in the example shown, of a supporting plate or the like member carrying a plurality of bending dies and being relatively adjustable in the longitudinal direction or parallel to the adjoining edges of the supporting and bending beams. The plates supporting the bending dies being mounted, in the example shown, upon the vertical part of the supporting beam may be adjusted to vary their mutual spacing distance or distances by the provision of any, suitable adjustable mounting means, such as set screws llti passing through slots ill in the plates 4, 4a, 4b for the compensation of deviations of the rod spacing distances, in the manner pointed out herein.

Alternatively, the member 2 may be provided with a continuous horizontal groove being engaged by springs or the like connecting elements attached to the plates 4, 4a, 4b in the manner of a snap fastener or joint.

There is thus provided by the invention a construction for the mounting of the bending dies of a machine of the type disclosed by the copcnding application, whereby the dies or groups of dies may be displaced instantly and expeditiously in an effort to adapt the device for use with connnercially available mesh stock, or to compensate for the tolerance variations between the rod spacing distances encountered in practice, whereby to enlarge the usefulness and flexibility of the bending apparatus, in the manner evident from the foregoing description considered in reference to the above-mentioned copending application.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described with reference to a specific illustrative device. It will be evident however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts for those shown and disclosed for illustration may be made without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawing are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

i claim:

1. Apparatus for the bending of steel mesh or the like structures including sets of intersecting spaced parallel rods comprising in combination:

(1) a stationary supporting member,

(2) a bending member spaced from said supporting member and arranged in the normal position to provide a supporting surface together with said first member for positioning thereon a mesh to be bent,

(3) an array of aligned and mutually spaced carrier plates disposed between and adjustably connected to one of said members,

(4) a plurality of bending dies being mutually spaced by a predetermined distance equal to the spacing distance of the rods of a mesh to be bent and projecting from the edges of each of said plates beyond said supporting surface,

(5) each of said dies having a cylindrical portion arranged with the common cylinder axis of all the aligned dies being parallel to and spaced from said supporting surface and a transverse portion connecting said cylindrical portion to the associated carrier plates, whereby to provide bayonet-like elements by said dies adapted for positiong and holding the rods of a mesh to be bent against said supporting surfaces,

(6) operating means carried by said supporting member to rotate said bending member from said normal position about an axis coincident Wtih the aligning axis of said dies, whereby to clamp said rods against and to bend the same around said cylindrical die portions by rotation of said bending member,

(7) the dies of each of said plates being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance and the extreme dies of each plate being spaced from the edges of the plates by distances less than said last distance, whereby to normally provide a composite array of equi-spaccd dies by all said plates, and

(8) means to adjust the mutual spacing distance be tween said carrier plates.

2. Apparatus for the bending of steel mesh and the like structures including sets of intersecting spaced and parallel rods comprising in combination:

(1) a stationary supporting member having a horizontal part and a vertical part extending from one edge of said horizontal part,

(2) a bending member also having a horizontal part and a vertical part extending from an edge of said horizontal part,

(3) said members arranged with their horizontal parts being flush with one another in the normal position, to provide a supporting surface for positioning thereon a mesh to be bent, and with their vertical parts parallel and spaced from one another,

(4) an array of aligned and mutually spaced carrier lates disposed between said vertical parts and connected to the vertical part of said supporting member,

(5) a plurality of bending dies being mutually spaced by a predetermined distance equal to the spacing distance of the rods to be bent and projecting from the upper edges of each of said plates beyond said suptreme dies of each plate being spaced from the edges porting surface, of the plates by distances less than said last distance, (6) each of said dies having a cylindrical portion arwhereby to normally provide a composite array of ranged with the common cylinder axis of all the equi-spaced dies by all said plates, and

aligned dies being parallel to and spaced from said 5 (9) means to adjust the mutual spacing distance besupporting surface and a transverse portion onne ttween said carrier plates within predetermined limits.

ing said cylindrical portion to the associated carrier In bending apparatus as Claimed i111 Claim Said plates, whereby to provide bayonet-like elements by Supporting member having a plate-like extension and said said dies adapted for positioning and holding the rods carrier PIates beillg mounted PP Said eXtenSiOP y means to be bent against i Supporting urf 10 of set screws passing through aligned slots of said plates.

(7) operating means carried by said supportin memher to rotate said bending member from its normal References Cited by the Examiner position about an axis coincident with the aligning UNITED STATES PATENTS axis of said dies, whereby to clamp said rods against 235,781 12/80 Kilmer 153-15 and to bend the same around said cylindrical die por- 3,120,257 2/64 Webers et a1 15315 tions by rotation of said bending member,

(8) the dies of each of said plates being spaced from CHARLES LANHAM Exammer' each other by a predetermined distance and the eX- WILLIAM K. STEPHENSON, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR THE BENDING OF STEEL MESH OR THE LIKE STRUCTURES INCLUDING SETS OF INTERSECTING SPACED PARALLEL RODS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (1) A STATIONARY SUPPORTING MEMBER, (2) A BENDING MEMBER SPACED FROM SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AND ARRANGED IN THE NORMAL POSITION TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTING SURFACE TOGETHER WITH SAID FIRST MEMBER FOR POSITIONING THEREON A MESH TO BE BENT, (3) AN ARRAY OF ALIGNED AND MUTUALLY SPACED CARRIER PLATES DISPOSED BETWEEN AND ADJUSTABLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, (4) A PLURALITY OF BENDING DIES BEING MUTUALLY SPACED BY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE SPACING DISTANCE OF THE RODS OF A MESH TO BE BENT AND PROJECTING FROM THE EDGES OF EACH OF SAID PLATES BEYONG SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE, (5) EACH OF SAID DIES HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION ARRANGED WITH THE COMMON CYLINDER AXIS OF ALL THE ALIGNED DIES BEING PARALLEL TO ANS SPACED FROM SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE AND A TRANSVERSE PORTION CONNECTING SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION TO THE ASSOCIATED CARRIER PLATES, WHEREBY TO PROVIDE BAYONET-LIKE ELEMMENTS BY SAID DIES ADAPTED FOR POSITIONING AND HOLDING THE RODS OF A MESH TO BE BENT AGAINST SAID SUPPORTING SURFACES, (6) OPERATING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER TTO ROTATE SAID BENDING MEMBER FROM SAID NORMAL POSITION ABOUT AN AXIS COINCIDENT WITH THE ALIGNING AXIS OF SAID DIES, WHEREBY TO CLAMP SAID RODS AGAINST AND TO BEND THE SAME AROUND SAID CYLINDRICAL DIE PORTIONS BY ROTATION OF SAID BENDING MEMBER, (7) THE DIES OF EACH OF SAID PLATES BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER BY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND THE EXTREME DIES OF EACH PLATE BEING SPACED FROM THE EDGES OF THE PLATES BY DISTANCE LES THAN SAID LAST DISTANCE, WHEREBY TO NORMALLY PROVIDE A COMPOSITE ARRAY OF EQUI-SPACED DIES BY ALL SAID PLATES, AND (8) MEANS TO ADJUST THE MUTUAL SPACING DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID CARRIER PLATES. 